ABBA: The melody, the memories, and a final farewell

This year marks 50 years since ABBA's victory at the Eurovision in England, a milestone that catapulted the Swedish group to global fame, wealth, and success. Despite ABBA officially ending their activities in 2021, the group had ceased to perform together as a band over four decades ago.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Agnetha Fältskog formed ABBA in 1972. Two years later, they clinched the top spot at the 19th Eurovision Song Contest with their hit "Waterloo," dispelling any fears that they might be mere one-hit wonders.

Defying expectations, ABBA went on to produce a string of hits, including "Mamma Mia," "Dancing Queen," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," "Money, Money, Money," "That’s Me," and "Fernando." These songs dominated charts worldwide, leading to the band selling hundreds of millions of records and embarking on global tours. However, their immense success came at a personal cost.

In 1980, after Agnetha received threats before a concert in West Germany, she decided to step back from the spotlight to focus on her daughter two years following her divorce from Björn—similarly, Benny and Anni-Frid, who had attempted married life together, divorced in 1981. The group informally disbanded a year later, as the women pursued solo careers and Björn and Benny worked on new projects. From 1982 onwards, ABBA ceased to perform publicly as a quartet, save for a singular television appearance in 1986.

In the 90s, Ulvaeus and Andersson stood together on stage during a U2 concert and were instrumental in creating the show "Mamma Mia!" In 2000, despite a lucrative offer to perform 100 concerts for a billion dollars, ABBA members declined and refuted claims of a band reunion. It wasn't until 2004 that they jointly participated in recording a video, "Our Last Video Ever," showcased during the semi-final of the 49th Eurovision Song Contest. A year later, they all appeared at the Stockholm musical "Mamma Mia!" premiere, marking their first group appearance in decades.

In 2018, the announcement of ABBA's return filled fans with anticipation. Sadly, the promised reunion took the form of a concert tour featuring holograms rather than a live performance by the band. These virtual avatars also made an appearance during the finale of Eurovision 2024. Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Agnetha Fältskog have not reunited on stage since, and their album "Voyage," released in 2021, signified the definitive end of ABBA’s journey.